Dom Joseph Gajard

Monk and French musicologist. Belonging to the Benedictine order and choirmaster of the Abbey of Solesmes, he contributed decisively to the recovery of the purity of Gregorian chant.

Born in Sonzay (Indre and Loire) on 25 June 1885, he professed at Solesmes on 15 August 1911, where he became assistant to Dom Mocquereau. He edited the Officium Majoris Hebdomadae for The Vatican edition in 1922, contributed to the publication of the 2nd volume of the Nombre Musical Grégorien in 1927, published the Antiphonale Monasticum in 1934, and published the Agendis Mortuorum in 1949.

In 1946, he was named Director of the "Revue Grégorienne" magazine (founded in 1911), in which he published many practical articles, and in 1954, of its replacement, "Études Grégoriennes". He directed the Paléographic Musicale, founded by Dom Mocquereau and conducted all the recordings of Gregorian Chant until his death on April 25, 1972.